The Best Time to Visit the Pinnacles
The best month for the Pinnacles is September or October, when the heath flowers; the best time of day is late afternoon. Weather, sunset times by month and how the tours move with them.
September and October are the best months: Parks and Wildlife Service WA says the heath flowers from August to October, and the days are mild before the summer heat. On any day of the year, the best time is late afternoon into the evening, and that is when the tours go. If you are booking for a month when the weather is less certain, Lumineer Adventure Tours’ Pinnacles: In-Desert Sunset BBQ & Stargazing & Sandboarding refunds you if weather stops the stargazing. It is from US$163 a person (checked November 2026).
National park fees and a BBQ dinner are included, and free cancellation runs until 24 hours before.
The year at the Pinnacles
| Months | What Parks and Wildlife Service WA says | Sunset at the Pinnacles |
|---|---|---|
| December to February | Hot and dry, with an afternoon sea breeze; fire danger often extreme | 7:07 PM on 1 December, 7:21 PM on 22 December 2026, 7:25 PM on 1 January, 7:18 PM on 1 February 2027 |
| March and April | March is still in the hot, dry summer; April is not described separately | 6:53 PM on 1 March, 6:16 PM on 1 April 2027 |
| May to August | Most of the park’s 540 mm of rain falls May to September | 5:43 PM on 1 May, 5:26 PM on 1 June, 5:45 PM on 1 August 2027 |
| September to November | Heath in flower August to October; from September the weather warms but stays mild | 6:03 PM on 1 September, 6:20 PM on 1 October 2027; 6:42 PM on 1 November 2026 |
Sunset times computed for the Pinnacles in Western Australian time (no daylight saving), matching Perth Observatory’s published tables. Weather notes from Parks and Wildlife Service WA’s park page and visitor guide, checked November 2026.
Wildflower season
The heath in Nambung National Park flowers from August to October, according to the park’s page, and the park’s visitor guide calls the months from September onwards the best time of year to explore it. Autopia Tours’ sunset tour visits Nilgen Nature Reserve on the way north when it is in flower, and goes to Hangover Bay instead the rest of the year.
Summer
From December to March the days are usually hot and dry, and the park’s managers describe the fire danger as often extreme. Wildlife rests in the heat and comes out in the early morning and evening. This is when a late-afternoon visit matters most: Australian Pinnacle Tours’ sunset tour arrives in the late afternoon to avoid the crowds and the heat. Long summer evenings also mean late finishes, with sunsets after 7 PM from December to February.
Winter
Most of the park’s rain falls between May and September, and the sun sets early, before 6 PM through May, June and July. The tours start earlier to match: Lumineer Adventure Tours’ tour starts as early as 11:30 AM from March to June, against 1:15 PM on 14 November and 1:30 PM on the December and January dates we read. An earlier sunset also means you are back in Perth earlier.
The time of day
The tours are built around sunset and the dark sky that follows it. Autopia Tours’ sunset tour started at 1:30 PM on 14 November and 2:00 PM on 8 December 2026 for the same reason: it departs at different times through the year to catch the sunset.
A morning or midday visit has its own case: Autopia Tours’ Lobster Shack and Yanchep day trip leaves at 9:30 AM and is back in Perth by early evening.
For a trip in a month with changeable weather, book the tour with the weather refund.
Check dates for the sunset BBQ tour
If the stars are the point of your trip, the moon matters as much as the month; pinnaclesstargazingtour.com sets out the new and full moon dates and the time it gets fully dark through the year.
More from Perth
Pinnacles and Coast Tours with Open Dates
Tours from Perth to the Pinnacles and along the coast with live availability. Where each starts, what it includes and the cancellation terms are shown before you book.
Sunset in the Desert, With a Refund if the Sky Clouds Over
Lumineer Adventure Tours' 9.5-hour tour from Perth CBD hotels: sandboarding at Lancelin, a BBQ dinner at sunset in the Pinnacles Desert, then telescopes and astro binoculars, with a refund if weather stops the stargazing.
Check dates